Nordic Welfare States In The European Context

Description: The sequel to 'Nordic Social Policy', this work compares social policy and developments since the 1980s in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden with those in Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and other Western European countries. The topics covered in the book include: income distribution, health, gender policies and gender equality, family patterns, and employment. In the context of globalization, ageing populations, changing employment patterns and issues around exclusion, the study offers a discussion of the historical development of European social policy and of its future direction. It sees the crucial challenges as those resulting from changes in the interplay between the state, the market and the family, and the state's ability to respond to people's changing needs. Through empirical analysis of welfare state adaptations, it finds a greater ambiguity regarding variation and trends than theoretical models suggest. Contrary to expectation, there is little evidence of the Europeanization of Nordic social policy, rather the reverse. Table of Contents: 1. Introduction: How Distinct are the Nordic Welfare States?, Mikko Kautto, Johan Fritzell, Bjorn Hvinden, Jon Kvist and Hannau Uusitalo 2. Still Different? Income Distribution in the Nordic Countries in a European Comparison, Johan Fritzell 3. Nordic Health Inequalities in the European Context, Olle Lundberg and Eero Lahelma 4. Gender Policies and Gender Equality, Randi Kjeldstad 5. Gender Equality in Earnings at Work and at Home, Annemette Sorensen 6. Changing Family Patterns - A Challenge to Social Security, Aksel Hatland 7. Health and Social Care Systems: How Different is the Nordic Model?, Tine Rostgarrd and Juhani Lehto 8. Toward Activation? The Changing Relationship Between Social Protection and Employment in Western Europe, Bjorn Hvinden, Matti Heikkila and Ilkks Kankare 9. On Condition of Work: Increasing Work Requirements in Unemployment Compensation Schemes, Jochen Clasen, Jon Kvist and Wim Van Oorschot 10. Moving Closer? Convergence in Financing of Welfare States, Mikko Kautto 11. Conclusion: The Nordic Welfare States in the European Context, Mikko Kautto, Johan Fritzell, Bjorn Hvinden, Jon Kvist and Hannu Uusitalo